UMHAUSEN. It’s a tough schedule for the lugers on natural track: Only one week after the 21st FIL World Championships on Luge on Natural Track in Vatra Dornei (ROU), and one week before the final of the GRM Group Luge World Cup in Umhausen (AUT), there’s another highlight for the athletes – the 34th FIL Junior European Championships on Luge on Natural Track, which will take place from February 11th to 12th, also in Umhausen.

For two days the Juniors will compete for medals at the Grantau-track in Umhausen. Judging by the results of this season’s Junior World Cup, especially the athletes from Italy and Austria are going to play a big role in Ötztal. At the womens’ event of the Junior World Cup, for instance, there has been an Italian triple victory: Daniela Mittermair won ahead of her teammates Camilla Singer and Nadine Staffler – with a lead of 80 points, she was definitely in her own league this season. At the men’s event, in turn, two Austrians were able to outpace Jack Leslie from New Zealand, who had had the lead until the last race in Unterammergau (GER), on the final straight: In the end Fabian Achenrainer (AUT) was victorious, followed by his compatriot Florian Markt, who had 15 points less. Achenrainer also won the doubles’ Junior World Cup along with his partner Miguel Brugger, while Manuel Gaio/Nicolo Debertolis (ITA) and Kirill Kravchuk/Aleksandr Zyrianov (RUS) ranked second and third, respectively.
It remains to be seen whether the athletes can demonstrate their skills once again and are successful in Umhausen, too. In any case their competitors won’t make it easy for them – especially those, who have already gained some experience in this year’s GRM Group Luge World Cup.

Program:
Saturday, 11.2.2017
8.00        1. Team Captain’s Meeting
10.00        1. training run men and women
12.00        2. training run men and women
14.00        1. training run doubles
afterwards    2. training run doubles
afterwards    2. Team Captain’s Meeting
18.00        opening ceremony at Gasthof Andreas Hofer

Sunday, 12.2.2017
9.00        1. competition run doubles
9.45        2. competition run doubles
afterwards    flower ceremony doubles
10.45        1. competition run women and men
12.45        2. competition run women
afterwards    flower ceremony women
afterwards    2. competition run men
afterwards    flower ceremony men
15.15        award ceremony